Rotten Tomatoes has been used as a review aggregator by movie lovers for years. However not all the opinions there are objective, so it’s natural for people to disagree with the reviews. In the end, it’s always best for the moviegoer to formulate their own opinion.
The Academy has been known to make controversial choices for the nominees over the years, and there are plenty of instances where audiences believe nominees and winners are undeserving of the accolades. But in the grand scheme of filmmaking, there is more than writing, so a “bad” film could be nominated for its technical feats too. Regardless of the reason, all of these “rotten” movies managed to score one of the most prestigious nods in the film industry.
Anchors Aweigh (Best Picture, Cinematography, Actor, Original Song)
Despite featuring a standout performance from Gene Kelly, Anchors Aweigh does not have a reason to be as long as it is. While the film features really fun songs and is definitely entertaining, modern critics see the film for what it really is. Released towards the end of World War II, the film was mainly made as a propaganda piece for the US Navy.
It has mostly faded into obscurity over the decades, but a scene featuring Gene Kelly dancing with Jerry the mouse was later recreated in Family Guy featuring Stewie in Jerry’s place. Overall, it is a fun, good-hearted musical that really is a product of its time.
Pearl Harbor (Best Sound, Sound Editing, Visual Effects, Original Song)
Pearl Harbor is pure Michael Bay goodness. Like many of his films, it suffers from a weak script, but the action is just so visceral and a ton of fun to watch. The cast is really good too, and it includes Ben Affleck, Kate Beckinsale, and Josh Hartnett.
Critics did not enjoy the film but it still made plenty of money, grossing $450 million worldwide per Box Office Mojo. The actual bombing scene remains to this day, one of the most expensive pyrotechnic explosions on a film ever at a whopping $7.5 million, as reported by Cinelinx. From a technical standpoint, it makes perfect sense as to why it received these nominations.
Norbit (Best Makeup & Hairstyling)
Like most of his films, Eddie Murphy appears as numerous characters in Norbit. In this particular outing, Murphy portrays three different characters with the use of heavy makeup and prosthetics.
While the makeup effects are extremely impressive, there is nothing that can save the film. It’s sadly unfunny and was released during Murphy’s decline in his career towards the 2010s. In spite of how terrible Norbit is, Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys said it’s his favorite movie of all time, according to Spin.
Suicide Squad (Best Makeup & Hairstyling)
Widely considered to be one of the worst superhero films, Suicide Squad introduced Harley Quinn to the DCEU and Margot Robbie is definitely the highlight. The rest is just a really weak, lifeless, and corporate-made movie. Although the film received overwhelmingly negative reviews, it still grossed plenty of money.
Suicide Squad also managed to nab the Academy Award for Best Makeup & Hairstyling, winning over Star Trek Beyond, which upset many people. Even though the film was horrendous, it did pave the way for James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad, which was seen as a vast improvement.
Fifty Shades of Grey (Best Original Song)
Fifty Shades of Grey was universally panned by critics. Rotten Tomatoes’ critical consensus reads “While creatively better endowed than its print counterpart, Fifty Shades of Grey is a less than satisfying experience on the screen.” The film will sadly be remembered as one of the worst romances of the 2010s.
The book of the same name that it’s based on originated as Twilight fanfiction before the names and locations were changed. Although the novel was not well received either, it still went on to become a best-seller, leading Universal Pictures to buy the rights to it. One of the lone saving graces was the original song, “Earned It” performed by The Weeknd.
Shark Tale (Best Animated Feature)
Released in 2004 to middling reviews, Shark Tale was still a major box office success, grossing $375 million against a $75 million budget according to Box Office Mojo. Shark Tale was the third 3D animated property from DreamWorks following Antz and Shrek, and its biggest criticism was the stereotypical portrayal of Italian-American characters.
When the film was nominated for Best Animated Feature, many were perplexed, but it lost to The Incredibles, which is far more beloved. Despite being pretty mediocre, Shark Tale has spawned numerous memes due to the odd design choices for the fish characters.
Batman Forever (Best Cinematography, Sound Editing)
Released in 1995 to mixed reviews, many viewers have since warmed up to Batman Forever. A lot of fans are also curious to see Joel Schumacher’s original darker cut of the film. Going from Burton’s gothic Gotham from the previous two Batman films to Schumacher’s neon rave rendition is a bit jarring.
Despite the drastic stylistic change, the look of the film was widely praised, especially Stephen Goldblatt’s cinematography. Forever would receive a nomination for Best Cinematography and Best Sound Editing but unfortunately lost in both categories.
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (Best Picture, Supporting Actor)
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close tells the story of a boy who continues looking for clues from his dad’s treasure hunts after his father sadly passed away during the 9/11 attacks. While the performances are just exceptional, the film’s portrayal of autism was heavily talked about and criticized.
When it received an Oscar nomination for Best Picture, many were surprised and outraged, and it was viewed as a mistake from the Academy. The Guardian even went as far as to call it “the worst best picture nominee ever”.
The Boss Baby (Best Animated Feature)
Interestingly, The Boss Baby is probably more well-known through memes than the actual film itself. While it didn’t get the greatest reviews, it was still a major box office success. This led to The Boss Baby franchise, which included a sequel in addition to two television series on Netflix.
Alec Baldwin’s voice performance in the title role has received universal praise, but the same can’t be said for the movies. The film receiving a Best Animated Feature nomination was a huge surprise, but it ended up losing to Pixar’s Coco.
The Phantom Menace (Best Sound, Sound Editing, Visual Effects)
Like Batman Forever, The Phantom Menace also received very mixed reviews at the time of its release. Since then, the reception of the prequel trilogy has drastically changed, with many now regarding them as good films. The Phantom Menace did have some of the best action sequences in the whole saga. Naturally, the film received three nominations for Best Visual Effects, Sound Editing, and Sound.
Many seem to forget that the film still has a huge emphasis on practical effects with impressive model work. Of course, the sound is just fantastic too. Ben Burtt created the sound of Star Wars since the Original Trilogy and returned to bring more magic for the prequels. While the 2000s were a dark time for prequel fans, now they no longer feel in the minority.
